


Even Monsters Bleed

by octoberland



Category: The Strain (TV), The Strain Trilogy - Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Horror, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 05:06:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12125151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octoberland/pseuds/octoberland
Summary: He was meant to die, and yet he lives. He follows, when he should lead. Under The Master's tutelage he learns the art of war. But it will be a mortal that teaches him what it means to be human.





	Even Monsters Bleed

**Author's Note:**

> So I finally came up with a long fic idea that I hope readers will find worthy. This is an alternate universe story in which I imagine Quinlan if he had joined forces with The Master early on. He will not be nice in the beginning and I intend to write this with strong horror overtones. There will be graphic depictions of violence and likely character deaths later on. Read accordingly. I will more than likely also introduce some of the characters from the show and books over time but I will introduce some new characters as well. I want to try and keep this fresh and different while also being grounded in the material that we love. And yes, there will be romance and probably sex too but not until later.
> 
> My plan as of right now is to try and post a new chapter every Sunday. Maybe more than one if I'm able to. But I thought keeping with the show's schedule might be fun.
> 
> Insert usual disclaimer: I do not own these characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. This is just a short little introduction. I wanted to get it up as soon as I could. Next week I will post the real first chapter.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

_The king who is situated anywhere immediately on the circumference of the conqueror's territory is termed the enemy.  
The king who is likewise situated close to the enemy, but separated from the conqueror only by the enemy, is termed the friend (of the conqueror)._

— Kautilya, Arthasastra

Rome, 1st Century

The creature held the babe in his hands. He considered, for a moment, ending the half-breed's life there and then. It would be so easy to crush its skull, to feel its insides slide through his hands onto the dirt beneath his feet. But some buried instinct stayed his hand. Not a paternal instinct, nothing as banal as that. No. He could use this child, mold him and make a true soldier of him one day, an ally in the fight to come.

Pity he'd had to kill the whore that birthed the child. Her instinct had been too strong. He'd felt it sliding along his will, sharp and feral as the caged lions at the theater. He'd dispatched her without thought. Besides, if this obscenity survived, it would be best if it had no ties. Its loyalty must be absolute. There could be no room for error.

He felt it squirm in his hands. The infant would need to feed, and soon. 

There was a camp not far from here. He could smell them on the wind; their sweat, the stench of their animals, and underneath it, their blood.

He called to his guard, stretching his mind along the tendrils that bound them to him, willing them to seek it out and surround the unsuspecting mortals.

Distantly, he heard the cries of a young child too stubborn or hungry to sleep that night. 

It would make a fine first meal, he thought.


End file.
